Pacific Coasting

U.S. 101, Oregon towards California


The Route When people talk about a Pacific Coast drive, they’re usually referring to California. But the Oregon coastline is just as gorgeous, plus the traffic is usually lighter. And with dozens of state parks — the highest concentration in America — Oregon’s coast offers plenty of spots to stretch your legs or dip your toes in the ocean. The 365-mile route takes about three days to drive, depending on how often you stop the car to take in those breathtaking ocean views. There’s no shortage of places to stay, but the rooms tend to fill up during the summer, so consider reserving in advance. You can get a list of options from the Oregon Tourism Commission.

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The highway you’ll be taking is U.S. 101, which hugs the coastline for most of the way and is dotted with cool attractions, most notably Sea Lion Caves in Florence, a natural sea cave that houses America’s only mainland sea-lion rookery. After watching the animals from an overlooking cliff, you take an elevator down into the cave for a front-row seat to see them swim and play — guaranteed to leave everyone grinning. Same goes for Prehistoric Gardens in Port Orford, a collection of huge, garishly painted dinosaur sculptures created over a 40-year period by a local resident — an eccentric testament to one man’s obsession. And if you get tired of the ocean as a backdrop, you can pretend you’re in the desert by hiking through the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, where the 300- to 500-foot sand dunes are among the world’s largest.

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Worth a Detour
The Three Capes Loop, a 35-mile oval branching off the main highway at Tillamook, brings you past several excellent parks where surf and rocky coastline collide in particularly spectacular fashion. It also provides travelers a close look at Haystack Rock, a massive formation sitting offshore.

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Worth a Day
A must for aviation and military buffs, and still plenty appealing for everyone else, the Tillamook Air Museum features dozens of old planes and fascinating historical exhibits. Did you know, for example, that America’s coastline was guarded by huge surveillance blimps during World War II? The museum itself resides in an amazing vaulted-ceiling hangar that happens to be the world’s largest wooden structure.

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